Always there, never forgotten
by Samdafurry
Summary: Aragorn had been named king of Gondor. But, his feelings have been stirred by a certain elf. After an encounter in the forest of Rivendell, it leaves two men with feelings bubbling up once again for the other. Legolas is weighed down by this the most for he is tied to a certain law. Will the ancient elf law govern their love forever or will they go beyond that to love the other.


It was a few years after the great war and after Aragorn had been kinged. The elves, dwarves, hobbits and humans parted in their separate ways to live in their own, in peace. Over the warring years Legolas had grown fond of the human ranger, Aragorn, but as elf law said he were not to fall in love with a human, a male no less. He shoved his feelings off to the side as he helped him through the war. Now that it was over he went back to Rivendell with the elves and Aragorn back to Gondor where he belonged.

Aragorn had too, grown fond of the elf but hid his feelings as he went on saving middle earth with the help of the fellowship. He was now in his own kingdom, with plenty servants to help. He was a fair king, but he stepped down to his apprentice. Being king with the burden he carried was too much for him at the moment. His sister agreed so.

Aragorn remembered once telling Legolas how he felt towards him and Legolas saying the same as they ended up staying the whole night staring at the stars and holding each others hands, once in a while embracing each other.

Legolas was made the main hunter as he kept the elves from starving. With his keen sense of hearing and smell and his light foot treading, no deer, rabbit or elk would ever hear nor escape him. He had just hunted down the elk he was to bring back home when something deeper in the woods alerted him and he stood up from checking to see if the elk had died and prepared his bow and an arrow to launch.

Aragorn, who had been chasing an elk for his dinner had drawn his sword, believing that up ahead was an enemy instead of an old friend he once had. Bursting through the thicket he came face to face with the elf he once knew, sword drawn and barely inches away from his face.

Legolas was poised to attack, never flinching, despite the blade, barely at striking range of his nose. He tightened his grip on the arrow ready to let it loose, unable to see clearly in the dim light of this part of the forest but recognized the glint of a sword in his face.

"Legolas?" Came a strangely familiar voice. "Is that really you?"

Legolas pulled his arm back, about to let the arrow fly as it may but loosened his hold a bit as he registered the voice. Quirking a brow, he asked. "Friend, or foe."

"If I may say..." Aragorn said drawing his sword away from the elf's face. "love."

Legolas tightened his grip again on his arrow. "Leave." His tone was harsh. "You are no love of mine. I only have one but, sadly, he's gone."

There was moonlight filtering through the branches just in front of Aragorn's face as he stepped forward. "Then I am truly sorry to have called you that, my friend."

Legolas lowered his weapon, eyes wide and tears brimming at the edges. He blinked quickly thrice and looked to the ranger. "What are you doing here? You know humans aren't allowed in Rivendell unless of some importance." He quickly put his arrow away, slinging his bow across his shoulder.

"I was hunting," Aragorn confessed as he looked to the elk the elf had stricken. "but it seems that you've beaten me to it." He gave a goofy smile to the elf.

Legolas suppressed his own smile. "I was tracking this one for some time, considering it being this big, it would feed four families of elves." He put a foot on the creature to nudge it a bit to give it one last check. Yes. It was definitely dead.

"I was..." Aragorn paused as he looked away for a bit then looked back at the elf, who seemed to glow in the now spreading moonlight. "I was also hoping to see someone, once again."

Legolas blinked then looked away, afraid to be captured once again by the stunning man. "If you are here to see her, then let me take you too her." Their love was all but forgotten once the war was over and they went their separate ways.

"No." Aragorn stopped the elf from turning. "The one I seek for is right here in front of me. I've... missed you."

Legolas looked back at the ranger then tore his gaze away, looking down as he jerked his arm out of Aragorn's grasp. "No." He muttered. "Elf law states that I can not love a human."

Aragorn only used Arwen to get closer to Legolas, that was true and she knew it. She didn't mind much. She just wanted to see the two happy.

Aragorn remembered the elf law. "Leave that law and be with me once more." Aragorn stepped forward.

Legolas drew his dagger and pointed it at the mans face. "No, Aragorn. Please, don't let me feel the same pain that I once felt all those years ago when we parted. The cuts were too deep." Legolas' gaze was on the ground as the hand that held the dagger began to shake.

Aragorn gently moved the hand down. "I agree. That pain should never be administered to anyone. Be it human, hobbit, dwarf..." He made the elf look at him. "or elf." He brought him closer as if to kiss him.

Legolas blushed deeply as he pushed the ranger away. "No." He sounded to be on the verge of tears. "Just go, Aragorn. Leave."

Without a single word, understanding what turmoil was going through the elf's head, Aragorn left, going back to the small camp he made up for him, his sister and her son.

Picking up the elk as best he could, Legolas carried it back to Rivendell, his mind buzzing from seeing the man he'd once loved. Once he entered Rivendell, he dropped the creature in the square. Happy families came cheering when they saw the size of the animal. "Another successful hunt I see~" Elrond, Arwen's father, came through the crowd, eyeing the beast that lie on the ground. Legolas bowed to the elder elf. "Thank you. He was quite hard to bring down. Took three stabs and an arrow."

Arwen came through the crowd as well, smiling and clapping. "Very well done, Legolas!" She cheered in joy. Legolas looked up at her, giving a silent hint in his eyes. Understanding it at once, Arwen parted from the crowd to stand in front of her father. "May I help Legolas bring this beast to the butchers?" Elrond simply nodded and went back to his home as the families dispersed, thinking that once they put it up in the butcher shop they could buy this precious meat.

Picking up one side of the stag, Legolas waited till Arwen picked the other and started walking. "Arwen. My feelings have been stirred."

Arwen looked to him questioningly. "By the strider?" Legolas could only nod keeping his gaze forward as they made their way to the butchers. "When did you see him?" Arwen asked turning her gaze back forward.

"While I was out on the hunt. Right after I brought down this elk. He was hunting it too." They got to the butchers, knocking on the door. "Who's there!?" Came a scraggy voice from inside. "Legolas and Arwen." Legolas called. An elf with a scar over his right eye and three at the left side of his chin stepped out. "And, what business-"He was stopped at the surprisingly large stag on his door step. "And, I'm supposed to butcher that?" Arwen nodded. "There are many hungry families out there waiting for you to do so." He smiled greedily and pulled elk into his home. "I always **love** a challenge!" He called before closing the door.

Legolas and Arwen both let out small bouts of laughter as they walked away. "Now," Arwen continued, slowly stopping her laughter. "tell me about the rest of your encounter with the strider."

Legolas immediately stopped laughing as his face turned serious. "Well, he had his sword drawn at me..."

Arwen gasped and was about to object when Legolas stopped her. "**No!** It wasn't like that. He didn't hurt me and he never knew it was me until he heard my voice." Legolas sighed, feeling heavy.

"And?" Arwen pressed onwards.

"And, well..." The elf stopped, having Arwen walk just a little ways ahead of him. "He made me remember my love for him." He hung his head, sorrowfully.

Arwen walked back to Legolas and hugged him earning a tight hug from the younger elf.

"In all honesty," Legolas sniffled. "I never stopped loving him. Even when we were apart."

"I know that feeling all too well." Arwen replied holding onto the elf. She stopped as she slung an arm around him and led him to her and her fathers castle. "Would you like it for me to leave you in your room?" She asked once they entered the castle.

Legolas nodded as he walked with Arwen to his room. He resided in the castle with Elrond and Arwen for he had no home after the war. Upon entering his room, he quickly went to his book shelf, pulling a book out. It was written in elvish. "I remember Aragorn telling me this story when I was upset before in our journey."

Arwen's interest piqued. "Oh? What is it about?"

Legolas blushed lightly. "It's about a princess who got separated from her prince and going on a journey with an unexpected 'prince', so to say. When she finds her prince, he no longer loves her and she no longer loves him but loves the 'prince' that she had journeyed with for so long. And that 'prince' loved her back." He closed the book as he slowly slid it back in it's spot on the shelf. "The strider told me this story, in elvish, when I had a nightmare." He looked to Arwen sorrowfully. "It reminds me of him. Of Aragorn."

Arwen nodded in understanding. "I am truly sorry that you feel this weight in your heart."

Legolas simply sighed, walking over to the bed provided and sat down. "I miss him so much."

"Father mustn't know." She said in a worried tone. "If he found out you fell in love with a human, a male no less," She stopped to think. "he would revoke you. Revoke you of the title you hold as the best elf hunter and you would loose all immortality."

"Only if I stay with him." Legolas reminded her urgently. He then reminded Arwen of the boat that took the elves to a place where they could live out the rest of their days and grow old till they wasted away, got killed or lost their will to live any longer. "I want to stay here. Just a bit longer. A few more hundred years to be with him." His eyes showed a pleading tone.

Understanding, Arwen nodded. "I understand." She whispered. There was sudden knocking on the door as Elrond came through. "Legolas. On behave of the elf council and me we shall have a glorious feast on the very successful hunts you've had, even in the dead of winter, where prey is scarce."

Legolas' face brightened slightly. "For me? Are you sure?" Elrond nodded. "You are the only elf in Rivendell capable of hunting as well as yourself."

Legolas smiled as he stood up and straightened his clothing. "I believe that is right."

Arwen smiled, happy to see the elf back to his usual self again. As her father left she hugged Legolas from behind. "I'm proud of you."

"You are?" Legolas asked in a questioning tone.

"Yes. I would never be able to hide such emotions as yours from my father." The she-elf rested her head on the younger male elf's shoulder.

He smiled weakly as he hugged her. "Thank you. That is a great honour for you to say something of such."

She smiled playfully, tugging on Legolas' arm, leading him to the dining hall. "Come now. They'll be wondering what has happened to us."

The feast that they ate was marvellous. Duck, with elvish bread. Rabbit and goose, marinated in white wine. Swine with assorts of vegetables. Red wine was the main drink. "Mmm~" Legolas moaned in delight of the taste. "Elrond. This is amazing. However did you get your hands on such delicious meat."

Elrond simply chuckled. "The hobbits were very grateful for the elves' help during the war and re-paid us."

Legolas smiled as he finished eating. "That was simply marvellous." He looked to Arwen as if asking her, 'Do I need to clean up now?'

Arwen stood up. "Father? I think I shall clean after this marvellous meal. Legolas looks to tired to lift a finger."

Elrond looked to the younger elf, and agreed for him to sleep. "I agree. He should go sleep. I'll help you clean, Arwen."

As father and daughter cleaned the table, Legolas made his way to his room, thoughts wandering. Once he entered his room, he changed in the sleeping clothes he was provided. They felt like silk at the touch and looked like soft pieces of cloth. Yawning, he looked out the window, sending a silent prayer for the strider to 'find' him again.

Aragorn looked up from the campfire as his sister put her son to bed. He sighed in haste as he poked the fire with a stick. "Will you be coming to bed soon?" She asked with a chuckle. Aragorn was brought back from his wondering thoughts as he looked to her. "Yes. In a bit. I-I just want to look at the stars a bit more."

His sister rolled her eyes at her brother, playfully. "As you wish." She vanished into the tent, blowing out the candle's flame. Now the only sounds there were, were the small chirps of crickets and the small crackle of the fire. Aragorn, too, sent a small prayer to Legolas, hoping to run into him again.


End file.
